In current motion picture exhibition, there are two fundamental formats for displaying movies. These formats are referred to as “flat” and “scope.” The flat system employs an aspect ratio (screen width to height) of 1.85:1. The wide-screen or scope format provides an aspect ratio of 2.39:1, thereby resulting in a wider image. Many large format applications, such as IMAX®, include the use of the flat aspect ratio. When showing a scope image on a screen configured to receive a picture with a flat aspect ratio, the scope picture is typically “letterboxed” or has black bands at the top and bottom to fill the width of the screen leaving the scope image smaller than the flat image. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of scope format pictures produced compared to the number of flat format pictures produced. Currently, approximately seventy percent (70%) of all major Hollywood movies are produced in scope format.
FIGS. 1 and 2 present side and top views, respectively, of a PRIOR ART theater 400. The theater 400 includes a lower seating area 402, a balcony 404, a projection booth 406 and a screen 408. In the prior art theater 400, a single projector 410 is located in the projection booth 406. The projection booth 406 is positioned above the balcony 404 and the image is transmitted downward by the projector 410 at a negative angle to the screen 408. As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the screen 408 is substantially flat and positioned in a vertical and perpendicular orientation with respect to the midline of the projection.
Although widely adopted, prior art theater configurations suffer from several deficiencies. In particular, there continues to be a need to bring audiences a more fully-immersive, high-definition movie experience. It is to this and other objectives that the preferred embodiments are directed.